The world's smallest raptor, the diminutive Elf Owl, lives in dry thorn forests, deserts, pine-oak forests, and riparian woodlands of the southern border of the United States and Mexico.
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Where does an elf owl live?
Elf Owls are found from the southwest USA to Central Mexico and Baja California. Northern populations winter in Central Mexico and on the Pacific slope north to Sinaloa, Mexico.
Why do elf owls live in cacti?
They live in cacti much like some other birds, using the shade and climate the cacti provide. Elf owls feed mainly on arthropods such as moths, crickets, scorpions, centipedes, and beetles. Agaves and ocotillos are ideal places for foraging, as moths and other insects may be found in their flowers.
Are elf owls friendly?
Unlike many owls, these birds are not aggressive and will “play dead” or retreat in a dangerous situation. This owl has more than a dozen different vocalizations, including a high-pitched whinny or chuckle. Elf Owls have declined as habitat has been developed for homes and agriculture.
Are elf owls rare?
Though classified as a species of least concern by the IUCN, elf owls are quite rare and hard to spot because of their nocturnal nature. They have never been especially numerous in California, but West Coast populations are dwindling due to habitat loss—a trend across the species' entire North American range.
In the Sonoran Desert region, elf owls are found mainly in riparian habitats (places where there is water), or in areas where saguaro cactus are plentiful.
Saguaro deserts, wooded canyons. Within its United States range, found in any lowland habitat providing cover and good nesting cavities. Most common in deserts ...
Scientific Name: Micrathene whitneyi ; Population: 150,000 ; Trend: Decreasing ; Habitat: Deserts, dry scrublands, riparian woodlands, and open pine-oak forests ...
Migrates further south to southwest Mexico during non-breeding season. ELF OWL HABITAT: Nests in abandoned cavities in saguaro cacti, but also found in wooded ...
Habits and Lifestyle. Elf owls are generally solitary birds but can be found in small groups during migration and when mobbing predators. During the breeding ...
Elf owls are often found in the upland deserts of Arizona and Sonora, Mexico, their range also spreads into parts of California, New Mexico and Texas.
In Texas, elf owls are found in the arid Big Bend and Trans-Pecos areas of the lower Chihuahuan desert. In the lower Chihuahuan desert, elf owls are totally ...
They leave Arizona in September for subtropical, thorn woodlands in Mexico where arthropod abundance is higher during winter.
Habitat. Deserts. Elf Owls occupy diverse habitats. In southern Texas, they inhabit brushy thorn forest, characterized by Mexican ash, Texas persimmon, ...
